Sex abuse lawsuits seek equitable relief

By Mindy Aguon
Guam Daily Post
March 11, 2017

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/sex-abuse-lawsuits-seek-equitable-relief/article_f8e42704-0540-11e7-bab7-0f3808396a53.html

Two lawsuits filed in the Superior Court last week not only seek monetary damages determined during a jury trial, but a court order imposing a number of conditions on the Archdiocese of Agana and the Boy Scouts of America to prevent sexual abuse from happening.

Attorney Anthony C. Perez and off-island law firms James, Vernon & Weeks and Rosenberg McKay Hoffman represent two clients who came forward alleging they were repeatedly sexually abused by former San Isidro Catholic Church priest, Father Louis Brouillard, in the 1970s.

Anthony Ray Mantanona and Michael Chargualaf, through their attorneys, have asked for an unspecified amount of monetary damages for the gross negligence of the two entities as well as the severe and permanent injuries, emotional distress and mental anguish caused by the abuse to be determined during a jury trial.

Ensuring the protection of future children

The lawsuits also seek equitable relief asking the court to order the Archdiocese of Agana and the Boy Scouts of America to do the following:

• Post on the home page of their websites, the names of all known members of the Archdiocese and Boy Scouts of America who are identified in the complaint or are otherwise known as sexual abusers;
• Establish a toll-free number and website where anonymous abuse complaints can be made;
• Adopt a whistleblower policy concerning the method by which a report concerning abuse within the Archdiocese and Boy Scouts of America can be made;
• Make the archbishop or bishop on Guam available upon reasonable notice to have a private conference with any survivor of sexual abuse perpetrated by a priest, educational, religious or other agent of the Archdiocese;
• Send letters of apology to the plaintiff taking responsibility for the abuse; and
• Ensure any future settlement related to sexual abuse entered into by the Archdiocese and Boy Scouts of America does not contain any confidentiality provision except at the written request of the abuse victim.

Chargualaf said he came forward after keeping the abuse a secret for over 40 years to ensure that children who are altar boys or girls today and in the future are protected. “I really want to make sure that they are protected and closely monitored by responsible adults that are there at the church,” he said.

There have been 28 lawsuits filed by individuals alleging sexual abuse by clergy, and attorneys on Guam and off island have confirmed there are more cases to be filed in the coming weeks.